E-URAL: an EU action to support the cooperation between Russian and European scientists

The goal of the recently started support action E-URAL (European Union and RussiA Link for S&T cooperation in the area of environment) is to improve the quantity and quality of the participation of Russian researchers and SMEs in the “Environment (including climate change)” theme of the EU FP7.

Under the coordination of the University Ca’ Foscari of Venice, Interdepartmental Centre IDEAS (Italy, http://www.unive.it/), 3 European (Agency for the Promotion of European Research, Italy; Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas, Greece; Kassel University, Germany) and 5 Russian (Voronezh State University; Sochi State University for Tourism and Recreation, Arkhangelsk State Technical University; State Institution Caspian Marine Scientific Research Center; and Institute for Water and Environmental Problems, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences) leading Institutions will work on bridging the gap between European and Russian environmental researchers. The consortium will provide mapping of research excellence; capacity building and training concerning the development of joint EU projects; and cooperation and liaison opportunities on topics of mutual interest. The project started in August 2009 and will end in July 2011.